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Friday, April 15, 2016

Lt.Gen. Thomas P. Stafford Air and Space Museum

*****

Stafford
Air and Space Museum

Is there a better way
learn about outer space than thru a hometown hero, and someone who has been
there?

Located in
Weatherford, OK. The Stafford Air and Space Museum became a Smithsonian
Affiliate in summer of 2011. Weatherford is the hometown of General Thomas P.
Stafford, He is currently serving as Deputy Chief of Staff, Research,
Development and Acquisition Headquarters of the U.S. Air Force in Washington,
D.C.

General Stafford is a recipient of the
Congressional Space Medal of Honor. A veteran of four space flights, he piloted
Gemini VI, and commanded Gemini IX, Apollo 10 and the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
Mission. Born in 1930
Stafford was selected by NASA in the second group of astronauts in 1962. He
would fly four historic space missions (Gemini 6, Gemini 9, Apollo X, and
Apollo-Soyuz), three of them as mission Commander.

For his
efforts as Commander of the U.S and Soviet joint Apollo-Soyuz mission, Stafford
received a Nobel Peace Prize nomination. Stafford is the recipient of many
prestigious awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the
Congressional Space Medal of Honor, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, and
the Oklahoma Aviator of the Century award.

The
Stafford Air and Space Museum is a fantastic educational experience for the
young and old alike. For the young it is a place that gives birth to ambitions
and dreams of major accomplishments. For the old it is a place to relive the history
they helped to create.

a T-38, an
F-86 “Sabre”, a Russian MiG21R, and an F16 “Fighting Falcon” with bombs
and sidewinder missiles. Also on display are full-size replicas of
the Wright Flyer, Spirit of St. Louis, Apollo Command Module, and Gemini spacecraft
and aTitan
II rocket launch vehicles.

mod

The museum is located along Route 66 at I-40 and Exit 84 in
Weatherford, and welcomes visitors seven days a week. The museum is closed Thanksgiving,
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.